Dining.

Stomach And Wallet Running On Empty? Try A 5-buck Feast

Everyone knows the feeling, whether it sneaks up in the middle of a day's shopping or burns at the end of an afternoon softball game: You're hungry and you have to eat now!

But there is a problem. Perhaps the previous night's revelry depleted the dough, or cash has to be saved for a cab. Don't panic. Even if there are only five bucks crumpled in your pocket, that sneaky need for food can be fed.

Chi-town is a chow town, which means a little local restaurant is always serving made-to-order specialties at surprisingly affordable prices. And while burgers and hot dogs, the workhorses of corner-counter cuisine, are everywhere, there is also no shortage of international offerings.

From gyros to gosh vindaloo, from tamales to pad Thai, a feast is at hand for a fiver.

Jon-Jon's, 925 W. Randolph St.; 312-829-6850. Here's a quintessential burger-and-breakfast place. At best, Jon-Jon's takes up 400 square feet of space at the corner of Randolph and Sangamon, so don't look for much seating. Do expect, however, great breakfast specials. Eggs, corned-beef hash, pancakes and French toast are all griddle-fresh for each order. Three-egg omelets can be made with cheese, bacon, ham and sausage.

Cost: $3.35 with hash browns, toast and jelly. The super special -- two eggs, two bacon strips, two pancakes and two sausages -- hardly breaks the bank at $2.75. At lunch, Jon-Jon's serves classic Chicago sandwiches like Italian beef, meatballs and gyros, as well as hot dogs and burgers. Everything is made fresh, and nothing costs more than $4.25, with fries.

Super Combo, 1904 W. Chicago Ave.; 773-276-8092. Super Combo is one sandwich shop and grill where the name really says it all. The menu is organized by combo meals, which far outdistance anything served up by better-known fast-food emporiums. Gyros, Polish sausage, double-cheeseburgers and Italian beefs are staples here, all in the $3.50-$3.80 range with fries and a drink.

There is also a selection of Mexican entrees, with giant burritos taking center stage. Order one filled with ground beef or chicken with a side of tortilla chips and a drink, hand over $5, and get back 70 cents in change.

Lazo Tacos, 2009 N. Western Ave.; 773-486-3303. Lazo Tacos is one restaurant where it may be better not to order the combination plates. This isn't because the rice, beans and chips that accompany the tacos aren't good. Rather, it's because they take up valuable stomach room better suited to eating two or three more of Lazo Tacos' tacos. The cost per taco is $1.40, and that's for a double-tortilla filled with lettuce, tomato and a filling of your choice.

And Lazo Taco has a provocative range of fillings with which to stuff those tacos. Sure there are steak, picadillo (ground beef), chicken, grilled shrimp, veggies, frijoles or pork. But why not try lengua (beef tongue) or tripa (pig intestine)? Don't be afraid. The tripe tacos really are a treat; the deep-fried ringlets of intestine have a crispy-chewy consistency similar to calamari.

Standard India Restaurant, 917 W. Belmont Ave.; 773-929-1123. Standard India is the 95-cent stretch to the $5 limit, but what you get for that extra 95 cents is an all-you-can-eat buffet of homemade Indian food. Standard India's lunch buffet has 12 to 15 items, with big-ticket favorites like mutar paneer and lamb vindaloo along side staples like naan and Tandoori chicken. The BYOB policy lets diners save on libation as well, and tablefuls of friends regularly dine with a six-pack or bottle of wine.

Dao Thai, 230 E. Ohio St.; 312-337-0000. Eating in at this elegant Thai restaurant just off the Mag Mile will certainly not cost under $5, but for carryout fans, Dao is an incredible value.

The food is kitchen-fresh and full of flavor, and two-thirds of the entrees and appetizers are under $5. Sure, some of the heartier dishes like bamee and barbecue pork or garlic shrimp approach $7, but the crazy noodles, pad Thai and curry chicken are all $4.95. Phone ahead, and it will be ready in about 10 minutes.

Benedict's Italian Deli, 2501 S. Archer Ave.; 312-225-1122. The Italian sausage sandwich available at Bridgeport's gateway (the intersection of Halsted Street and Archer Avenue) might be the best, most-fulfilling food experience in the city. It's an 8-inch link, plump, juicy, oozing spice and grease, that comes on a fresh-baked roll more like a mini-loaf of Italian bread. This is one sandwich that can really tackle an appetite. The cost is $2.75, with or without red sauce. Anyone who can scrape up another quarter can top the Italian sausage sandwich with hot peppers or cheese. For hearty (but not necessarily heart-wise) eaters, two of these sandwiches will make a feast short on expense and long on heartburn potential.

JB's/JB Alberto's Pizza, 1324 W. Morse Ave.; 773-973-1700. Chicago's best-kept pizza secret is in a nondescript brick building near the CTA Morse Avenue Red Line elevated stop. A humble fluorescent sign reads "Pizza" above a caricature slice -- the only tip to what is available within this Rogers Park treasure. Folks who have some extra cash and access to a phone will want to order a complete pie. JB's deep-dish uses an amazing amount of rich sauce and a thick layer of cheese.

There's no on-site dining at JB's, but the front counter sells pizza by the slice for those who want a sample or snack. A slice of cheese deep-dish is $1.50; for sausage or pepperoni, when available, add another 50 cents. Get two big cheese pieces, with a liter-bottle of soda, and the total will come in at just a shade over $4.50.